Aw Bummer! and Day Seven in Sarasota

Well I was disappointed this morning when I woke up and discovered that Harmony was trying to reach me over night at the birth center because she had lost my cell phone number, and she had another woman in labor. So I missed the birth, but the confusion has been straightened out now and everyone has my cell phone number so I shouldn't miss any more. There are plenty of births happening around here this month, but it still would have put me one step closer to coming home, so I am a little disappointed that I missed it. I am home sick and 7 more births just seems like a *lot* to me, especially since I have all this down time just waiting. It probably wouldn't be as bad if I were in or nearer Orlando because there I have a *ton* of friends whom I'd love to be visiting with and such, however I am here in Sarasota and just not willing to go that far away with all of these births pending. Of course, I have my wonderful blog, facebook, and work on MTB Moodle to also help distract me.

So this is day seven in Sarasota, and my day is looking pretty uneventful. I will spend much of today working on MTB Moodle and trying to get that all finished, and then probably practicing my suturing. Might venture out to look for the Walmart, haven't decided yet. I do need to buy some more motor oil for my van before I head back up north, I just emptied my last 5qt container, and I try not to go without having some in the van for when I need it. I think I may also go through my NARM paperwork and see if there is anything left that Linda can sign off on for me, as I'm trying to make sure all my ducks are in a row.

I'd like to try to get home sooner rather than later, as I also have the Midwifery Today conference in April that I am going to, and I'd like to try to make sure I get to see my guy before then, and I'd like to love on my kids a bit before then too. It's hard to believe that by the time I get back home it will only be around 8 more weeks before they go stay with their dad. Time sure is flying in some ways, and dragging in other ways.

I got an update from Andrea, and our only "due" mom is doing good. She is due on March 13 so I will probably miss her birth, which is a bummer. But I traded one birth for 8, I think I got a pretty good deal LOL!

So, as it is, back to work on MTB, and I'll write more if my day becomes interesting!!

<3

Day Six in Sarasota!!

So, here I am at day six in Sarasota. Tonight was my son's pinewood derby race with cub scouts, and I obviously missed it (and he came in last place so he was sad and disappointed.). Today was a clinic day, though I spent most of it writing up some paperwork for Christina. I treated myself to subway for lunch, and then we got a call about a possible labor. We got there and it was a false alarm, but such is life as a midwife!

Went back to the clinic later and got to visit with Jodi, the birth assistant that has worked with Christina since even before I did. Jodi is pregnant with Mono-di identical twin boys!! How exciting for her!!

Now I am winding down and getting ready for bed. Talked to my kids and my former father in law, wishing my guy would call, and hoping some babies start coming!!

Oh yes, I also made a looong blog post on post partum infection, and added new "followers" to my blog. And I facebooked some...and lectured via email on the midwifetobe yahoo group LOL!! I do need to write in my journal, but its in the van, I will get to that tomorrow.

Oh, I am sure you will all find this funny, but I squatted down to get something out of my bag this morning and *split* my jeans right at the back pocket!! luckily I was in the bedroom Christina is letting me use, and alone, so embarrassment avoided, however, they were my *favorite* pair of jeans!!! Sigh.

Day Five Sarasota!

Though I had lots of fun today at the beach, I will be happy to get to more birthin' babies around here! I've attached some pictures for you to enjoy!

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Day Five in Sarasota!

Day five in Sarasota saw a morning full of snuggling with the sweetest little mini daushund ever. Then a visit for Mass to St. Patricks Catholic Church. This church is probably twice as big as Queen, and *full* of old people. LOL! When I got back to Christina's after Mass she exclaims as I walk in the door "We're going to the beach!". She knows that I was determined to get to the beach before I left Florida, and so as to be expected I am very excited!! I am sure I will write more about my beach day later tonight ;)
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It's the Little Things

Yes, I am homesick. No, this blog post isn't meant to mean that I don't want to come home. However, sometimes it really is the little things that can make a huge difference in the quality of your days. One of the side-effects of things with my guy not progressing the way I thought they would is that now, 16 months after throwing Tom out, I am still sleeping on a couch. If any of you have ever had to sleep on a couch every night for an extended period of time, you know how I feel. Sleep deprived despite getting plenty of quantity in my sleep, or unable to sleep because I am not in a bedroom, or whatever. For the past almost week, however, I have been able to sleep in an actual bed! The first few nights I actually felt like I was "catching up" from many many months of poor quality sleep (sprinkled with decent sleep on nights I spent the night with Andy). Now I am enjoying the little things that will temporarily improve my quality of life, at least while I am here. It seems like such a simple thing, but it makes a difference!

<3
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Day Three in Sarasota!

My day two in Sarasota was amazing, as I am sure you can guess by my half of a post! LOL! Christina texted me late Wednesday night and said the other midwife at Rosemary Birthing Home (her name is Harmony) would probably be calling me during the night for a birth. The midwives here seemed to have pulled together for me to help me get these last few numbers in. I have been drowning in Blessings lately and I can only hope that God provides the last five primary that I will need to sit for my exam next February, or opens another opportunity (and I notice it and take heed!) At least. Five. That number seems so much less intimidating to me than twelve did. I have faith that I can pull off five. Somehow.

So the birth with Harmony was very refreshing for me. It was a water birth, which I am extremely unlikely to see in Tennessee with my current preceptor. Harmony also repaired some very minor lacerations of which would not have been sutured with my current preceptor. Because one of the biggest skills I hope to learn here is suturing, I was happy for the learning experience.

Birth is always a waiting game, and now I wait patiently for more, and in the interim I soak up as much knowledge from these amazing midwives as I can, I practice my suturing, and I bask in the sisterhood of the Sarasota midwives, reminding myself that there are midwives out there who practice much closer to the way I envision myself practicing (next year!). I am thankful for the kindness I have found here in Sarasota, and for the reminder that I am not crazy.

Day three might end up being a down time day, if no births happen. There is no clinic today, and unfortunately it appears that it will be too cold to go to the beach, at least for swimming. We'll see and I am sure that you will hear more about my day either today or tomorrow :)

<3
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At My First Birth in Sarasota!

I got a call in the wee hours of the morning this morning from Harmony, one of the other midwives down here in Sarasota, asking me if I'd like to come to a birth. Of course I would, it's why I am here! So I hurried and got dressed and headed over here to the beautiful Rosemary Birthing Home. Though I haven't done very much at all at this birth yet, other than waiting patiently.......

Sorry all, I couldn't finish this at the time, and now I am exhausted and headed to bed. This is To Be Continued!
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First Day Back "On the Job" in Sarasota

Today was my first official day back in training here in Sarasota. I have *always* remembered how different it was working for Christina than it is working for Linda, but now the differences are very stark to me, since I am now refreshed about the workings of the birth center here at Birthways. I am such a blessed student, to have been able to work under midwives with such contrasting points of view on so many things, it helps me to find the medium that is myself and how I would run my own midwifery business one day.

I am, I have to admit, breathing a big sigh of relief upon returning to Birthways. Part of the relief is seeing that not a whole lot has changed. Some new furniture, new fun gadgets (go massive fax machine copier thing!! and scheduling program on the computer instead of a paper book, and YAY wireless internet!) but other things are still exactly how I remember them. Nice thick charts with good notes written in them, organization everywhere, office help, no clutter, it's just beautiful. I am surrounded by midwifery that is so much closer to how I envision myself practicing (not exactly, but at least much closer!)

Today I spent the day at prenatal visits, a home visit, and in the spare minutes in between Christina has been teaching me suturing, beginning with tying knots. I will spend the rest of the night tonight tying knot after knot and practicing suturing on a square foam. Suturing is something that I have really been intimidated by, I always feel very clutsy when using instruments like needle holders and hemostats, and Christina assured me it just takes practice and getting used to using them. And so I will spend the month practicing suturing over and over on foam, then on meat, and then I will come home to Tennessee and teach Andrea all that I've learned about suturing so that she also can feel confident in her ability to suture as well.

I'm back to taking more of a passanger seat position in the prenatals room, which is a weird switch for me since I am so used to doing prenatal appointments alone, or with Andrea. But I am happily taking blood pressures and feeling babies positions after Christina is satisfied with her on palpating. I doubt I'll do any blood draws while here, but I do not need practice in phlebotomy, what I need practice in is suturing, and of course I am here for births!! And I am getting both of those things while here.

I am already homesick :( That was something that I was not anticipating feeling so soon. It mostly kicks in at night, even last night, when I was trying to go to sleep. I think this is going to be a month full of long nights when there aren't any labors to distract me. At least my guy called me last night, and I am hoping he calls me tonight, because I am lonely. I might not have been missing him as much had I gotten to see him before I left, it's now been like three weeks since we managed to see each other, but he was so busy with crunch time for robot, and then I had to leave. And it doesn't help any that it is the Lenten season and I am spending it away from my kids. But I do have some distractions, and a very gracious hostess.

I can tell you that it is *hot* down here. And humid. Don't let anyone fool you into believing that Alabama/Tennessee is humid. THIS is humid! Now I remember one of the key reasons I moved out of Florida!!

now...***IMPORTANT NEWS****!!! There is a CRISIS in the state of Mississippi, where they are about to pass HB 695 which will OUTLAW CPM's and any other NON NURSE midwife in the state of MISSISSIPPI!! See the Citizens for Midwifery blogspot for more information!

NURSE-MIDWIVES and Certified Professional Midwives tend to be two *completely* different models of care, and limiting women to only the access of CNM's or OBGYN's is a major restriction and in my opinion a violation of the rights of childbearing families to have a competent care provider in the form of a CPM. All this bill does is further limit the ability of Mississippi families to make decisions for themselves about who and how they want to bring their children into the world!! If you live in Mississippi or have family or friends who do, please ask them to speak out to their congressmen against this bill!!

ok, stepping down off of my soap box.

Safe and Sound in Sarasota

After an unremarkable trip down. I am exhausted, and headed to bed after catching up with Christina and filling my tummy with sushi. I am sure I will write more tomorrow, but for now this midwife student is down for the count until morning. :)
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On My Way!

Finally on my way to Sarasota! I will be sure to blog once I arrive there safely! Until then!
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